On May 22, 2007, five female students from Sacred Heart Girls College in suburban Melbourne, Australia, were taken to the hospital after receiving an injection of Gardasil, the newest vaccine ever ordered for cervical cancer. Shortly after vaccination, twenty-six girls were seen at the campus medical clinic. Five were hospitalized: two spent the night with dizziness; one had temporary paralysis and loss of speech. The status of the remaining two is unknown. (1)

In the US, symptoms similar to those experienced by Australian girls have been reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). Since the vaccine was approved in June 2006, at least 1,600 adverse events have been reported. Here are some examples directly from the VAERS reporting pages:

“Immediately after the injection, the patient complained of severe pain at the site. He fell off the table and passed out for about 10-15 seconds. Hyperventilation Complained of headache, blurred vision; the vision test was normal. Vomiting x 1 in the parking lot and speech was momentarily inarticulate. Sent to the ER where her neurological exam was normal except for remembering the words “coffee instead of coughing” and saying “father instead of tired.”

“One patient was vaccinated with a first dose of the HPV vaccine. Later, when the patient was leaving the examination room, the patient passed out. The patient recovered shortly after fainting. “

“A 14-year-old girl was vaccinated with Gardasil. The patient was reported to be sitting on a bench. When the nurse left the room, the patient apparently passed out and ended up falling off the bench. It was reported that he was not sure if the patient had broken her nose but there was blood. At the time of this report, the outcome of the events was unknown ”.

VAERS is a passive surveillance system and relies on voluntary notification by doctors and parents of serious health problems after vaccination. Although VAERS reports do not prove causation, they can provide a warning system that a vaccine may be causing health problems.

It has been estimated that less than 10 percent, even just 1 to 4 percent, of adverse events from a prescription drug or vaccine are ever reported. (2) If only 1 percent of all adverse events associated with Gardasil for VAERS are reported, there could have been as many as 160,000 acute health problems from the vaccine in less than a year. Long-term complications of the immune or neurological system are completely unknown. It is not known if any of these vaccinated children will develop fertility problems, cancer or damage to their genes, all of which Merck admits in the product insert has not been studied.

John Iskander, of the Immunization Safety Office at the Center for Disease Control, has said: “There is absolutely no reason to think that there is something in this vaccine that makes people more prone to fainting.” (3) Despite its guarantees, there are ingredients in the vaccine that can make recipients dizzy and faint.

Histidine, an amino acid, is easily converted to another amino acid, histamine, when it enters the body. When released, histamine causes redness, swelling, itching, and allergic reactions leading to widening of capillaries, lowering of blood pressure… people can pass out. The vaccine also contains Polysorbate 80, an agent used in creams, ointments, lotions, and multiple medical preparations including vitamin oils and anticancer agents. Polysorbate 80 can cause life-threatening reactions, including anaphylaxis, which is characterized by a sharp drop in blood pressure, hives, and breathing difficulties … people can pass out. (4)

Fainting after vaccination can have serious consequences. An article published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine (1997), reviewed the 697 reports of syncope (fainting) that occurred after vaccination and had been reported to VAERS between 1990 and 1995. More than 97 percent of events occurred within 30 minutes of a vaccine, establishing a causal relationship. Of these, six patients suffered a severe head injury, which included a skull fracture, brain hemorrhage, and brain contusion. Three of these patients required brain surgery and two were left with substantial residual neurological deficits between six months and two years after follow-up. (5) Dizziness and fainting after vaccination is not something to be taken lightly.

As for children in Australia, the vaccination program is scheduled to continue in June. “The university is confident that this vaccination program is safe to offer to students,” says Christopher Dalton, principal of the school. “We will work with the Victoria Department of Human Services and the City of Monash Immunization Services in planning the immunization program.”

Illness and dizziness are supposed to be “normal reactions” to a vaccine. The main theme for Australians is that “We have a vaccine and we will use it.” For little girls in the US, watchful waiting is recommended.

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REFERENCES

(1) “Vaccine linked to disease.” [http://www.news.com.au/story/0], 23599.21774793-2.00.html

(2) Braun M. Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS): Utility and Limitations. John’s Hopkins Bloomburg School of Public Health. http://www.vaccinesafety.edu/VAERS.htm

(3) The CDC says Gardasil side effects are minor, unnecessary additional warning labels. Feb. 26, 2007 http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=63651

(4) Coors, EA. Polysorbate 80 in medical products and non-immune anaphylactoid reactions. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. December 2005; 95 (6): 593-9. PMID: 16400901

(5) Braun MM et al. Syncope after vaccination. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1997; 151: 255-9.